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The Liver Suffers Too – But Often In Silence – Of Viral Hepatitis (Illustration: Erika Onodera / HEALTH Is Vital
If You Add Up All To The # 39: viral hepatitis Brazil recorded 40,198 new cases in 2017. But the fact is that each type of this disease has its peculiarities – and nothing like World Day of Viral Hepatitis to better explain them, even if understanding the characteristics of these viruses helps too much to prevent them and even to treat them.
Do you think the problem is not one of the most important? the World Health Organization, 1,750,000 deaths worldwide have been caused by complications of different hepatitis.
Hepatitis A
He grew up in Brazil lately, he has been growing in Brazil for many years, according to data from the Ministry of e Health, 2,086 Brazilians were diagnosed in 2017, compared with 1,206 the year before
The virus of this disease is transmitted through food or contaminated water – hence the 39 importance to check the origin of certain products and basic sanitation. It also spreads in intercourse, where stool remains (often undetectable to the naked eye) come into contact with the mouth.
The good news: in most cases, the body itself gets rid of hepatitis A after one or two months. Some episodes last six months
There is no specific treatment for the virus, but there is a vaccine administered free of charge to children under 5 years and to people with liver disease. Hepatitis B and C are included among these conditions.
Symptoms include fever, malaise, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and yellowing of the eyes. In rare situations, the virus causes fulminant hepatitis, where liver damage is severe, sudden, and can lead to death.
It should be noted that several individuals with hepatitis A show no signs of the disease.
Hepatitis B
There is a slight downward trend in the number of cases of this disease in Brazil. If, in 2016, 14,702 episodes were recorded in Brazil, the following year it dropped to 13,482.
One of the differences for hepatitis A is that B becomes chronic in some patients – although most people free this infectious agent after a few months of symptoms similar to those reported in hepatitis A. In these situations, the virus is not exuded by the immune system.
And there is no cure. In this scenario, the individual should take medication and follow the doctor's advice to prevent the disease from slowly destroying the liver. In some cases, liver transplantation is necessary.
Fortunately, since the 1990s, there is a safe and highly effective vaccine against hepatitis B. It is already on the schedule of vaccination of children. If you have not received immunization, it is important to perform a blood test to check for the possible presence of the virus. If you are negative, go after a health clinic and take your doses – as a rule, there are four for babies and three for adults.
Hepatitis B is currently transmitted primarily through unprotected bad, since its virus pbades through badl or penile secretions. But it can also spread if the blood of an infected person comes into contact with that of another subject.
This happens, for example, in those who share syringes. Or even if it goes into a manicure where the equipment is not sterilized.
Another focus of attention are pregnant women carrying the virus. This is because it can invade the baby's body at birth. Today, screening for hepatitis B is mandatory in pregnant women. If the examination indicates the presence of the disease, doctors may administer drugs that prevent infection at birth.
And a message: hepatitis B opens the door to hepatitis D. Yes, this sounds strange, but the D virus, less common in Brazilian lands, can only infect someone. one who wears version B in the body. The problem is that this co-infection is considerably more serious.
Hepatitis C
From 2000 to 2016, 70% of viral hepatitis deaths in Brazil are due to type C disease. Some people come into contact with this virus and manage to get rid of it naturally, but it is relatively common that it dribbles our defense cells and remains firmly in the body.
There, he rages silently over the years. If nothing is done, the liver may suffer from cirrhosis or even from cancer.
The bad news: there is no vaccine. And the good: the current treatments guarantee a chance of healing of more than 90% . They are available in the unified health system for all carriers of the virus.
The problem, in fact, is to detect the Brazilians who carry this enemy in the body. It is estimated that at present, less than 20% of them know that they have hepatitis C. There is no point in having any remedies next generation if they stay on the shelves.
Today, everyone over 40 years old and over who detects the presence of the disease. Indeed, mainly before the 1990s, the sharing of needles and other materials bringing contaminated blood into contact with healthy people was less worrying.
Several cases of hepatitis C have been attributed to contaminated blood transfusions. , for example. But today, this is no longer the case because of the test of the liquid given in red
. New cases of hepatitis C are badociated with contact with contaminated cutting materials, such as used syringes, manicure forceps, and so on. go. Although not common, the virus behind this mess can be transmitted through bad.
Sources: Brazilian Society of Hepatology; Ministry of Health and Raymundo Paraná, hepatologist at the Federal University of Bahia
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